Patchwork Sewing Basket

Inspired by: French Countryside from designer Renée Nanneman

Quilt tester: Diane Tomlinson

Finished basket: 8-1/2×4-1/4×4-1/4"

Finished block: 4-1/4×8-1/2"

Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width.

• 10" square each green print, coral print, white tone-on-tone, blue print, and gray print (basket body)
• 1/3 yard white print (basket body and lining)
• 36×58" rectangle foam stabilizer (We used ByAnnie's Soft & Stable.)

Cut pieces in the following order.

From green print, cut:

• 6—2-3/8" squares

From coral print, cut:

• 6—2-3/8" squares

From white tone-on-tone, cut:

• 4—3-3/8" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 16 triangles total

From blue print, cut:

• 2—3-3/8" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 8 triangles total

From gray print, cut:

• 2—4-3/4" squares
• 2—3-/1" squares

From white print, cut:

• 1—4-3/4×26" strip
• 2—4-3/4 ×9" rectangles

From foam stabilizer, cut:

• 1—4-3/4×26" rectangle
• 1—4-3/4×9" rectangle

Measurements include 1/4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Press seams in directions indicated by arrows on diagrams. If no direction is specified, press seam open.

1. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each green print 2-3/8" square.

2. Layer a marked green print square atop a coral print 2-3/8" square. Sew together with two seams, stitching 1/4" on each side of marked line (Diagram 1). Cut apart on marked line. Press open to make two triangle-squares. Each triangle-square should be 2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 12 triangle-squares total.

3. Referring to Diagram 2, sew a white tone-on-tone triangle to a coral print edge of a triangle-square. Add a second white tone-on-tone triangle to remaining coral print edge to make a white triangle unit. Repeat to make eight white triangle units total.

4. Using blue print small triangles and remaining triangle-squares, repeat Step 3 to make four blue triangle units (Diagram 3).

5. Referring to Diagram 4, lay out two blue triangle units, four white triangle units, and one gray print 3-1/2" square in three diagonal rows. Sew together pieces in rows. Join rows to make block. The block should be 4-3/4×9" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second block.

1. Referring to Diagram 5, sew together blocks and gray print 4-3/4" squares in a row to make pieced unit; press seams away from blocks. The unit should be 4-3/4×26" including seam allowances.

2. Layer pieced unit atop foam stabilizer 4-3/4×26" rectangle. Lightly press to adhere foam to pieced unit.

3. If desired, machine-quilt the pieced unit. The denser the quilting, the stiffer the basket will be.

4. Fold unit in half crosswise with right side inside. Sew short ends together (Diagram 6). Press seam open to make a box.

5. Layer a white print 4-3/4×9" rectangle atop foam stabilizer 4-3/4×9" rectangle. Press to lightly adhere rectangles to one another.

6. Layer Step 4 box atop Step 5 rectangle with right sides together; match box seams with rectangle corners (Diagram 7). Sew together box and rectangle, stopping 1/4" before each corner and pivoting to sew to the next set of edges.

7. Turn Step 6 unit right side out to make basket body; press well.

1. Fold white print 4-3/4×26" strip in half crosswise with right side inside. Sew short ends together (Diagram 8). Press seam open to make a box.

2, Layer Step 1 box atop remaining white print 4-3/4×9" rectangle with right sides together (Diagram 9). Leaving a 4" opening along one edge for turning, sew together, stopping 1/4" before each corner and pivoting to sew to the next set of edges, to make basket lining.

1. Insert basket body into basket lining with right sides together (Diagram 10), align side seams, and pin. Sew together top edges.

2. Turn right side out through opening in lining; stitch opening closed. Insert lining into basket body. Press top edge. Topstitch 1/8" from top edge to complete basket.